Officials offer warning as E.coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders

Health officials have issued a warning following the news that E.coli had been linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders in 10 US states.

The fast food giant faced a food safety alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US on October 22nd, citing one of the chain's most popular burgers as the root of the issue.

So far, the food-borne illness has left one person tragically dead and 49 unwell.

As it usually takes three to four weeks to work out if E coli is part of an outbreak, the exact number of people affected is still unknown.

McDonald's has pulled the Quarter Pounder in 10 US states due to E.coli (Credit: Getty)

They've gone on to share a list of symptoms associated with the strain of E.coli, warning those affected may experience ‘severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea (often bloody), and vomiting’.

“Symptoms usually start 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria,” the information stated.

“Most people recover without treatment after 5 to 7 days. Some people may develop serious kidney problems (hemolytic uremic syndrome, also called HUS) and would need to be hospitalised.”

The CDC said people should call their healthcare provider if they experience:

• Diarrhoea and a fever higher than 102°F, including: diarrhoea for more than 3 days that is not improving; bloody diarrhoea
• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as: not peeing much; dry mouth and throat; feeling dizzy when standing up

The illness has left 49 ill and one sadly dead (Credit: Getty)

The states affected are Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

McDonald's has removed silvered onions and beef patties from stores that have had affected customers, whilst they try to work out what caused the food poisoning.

 "We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do," the chain said.

In a statement, McDonald's added "initial findings from the investigation indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers."

"We will continue to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are committed to providing timely updates as we restore our full menu."

E coli are a group of bacteria typically found in the intestines of humans and animals, and while they are often harmless, some strains produce toxins which can make you unwell.

Featured image: Getty